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| November 17, 2003 | Monday | Ramazan 21, 1424 |
ARD demands Hashmi’s release
HYDERABAD, Nov 16: Activists of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, Pakistan Muslim League-N and other parties held a demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday, demanding release of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Asif Ali Zardari.
The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy had given the protest call. Activists of the Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party also participated in the demonstration to express solidarity with the alliance.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh PPP president Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said ARD president Hashmi was arrested as he believed in the supremacy of parliament, adding that he was being kept in wrongful confinement.
He said Mr Zardari had been granted bail in 13 cases and was acquitted in three others but he was languishing in jail for the last seven years. He said false cases were being registered against him.
The leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly said new laws were being enacted to prevent PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto from returning the country. He, however, said Ms Bhutto could not be kept away from the people for a long period.
He also lashed out at the PML-Q, saying its government had failed to provide justice to the people who had been taking to the streets for their rights.
He called upon political parties to unite on one platform for the rights of the people and restoration of a true democracy.
Sindh ARD general-secretary and PML-N leader Zain Ansari condemned the arrest of Mr Hashmi. He said the people sitting in the government were wanted by the National Accountability Bureau in different cases.
He accused the rulers of holding the nation as a hostage.
STPP chairman Dr Qadir Magsi said the establishment would not surrender power till political parties stopped blaming each other.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPA Abdul Rehman Rajput, PPP leader MNA Syed Amir Ali Shah Jamote, Makhdoom Shahnawaz, Maula Bux Chandio and Saleem Zia also spoke on the occasion.
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